Last summer, I decided to get away to the beautiful Outer Banks of North Carolina with a large group of friends. There are numerous lovely towns for tourists and beach lovers to enjoy in the area. My husband and I booked this house a year in advance in the small Hatteras Island village of Rodanthe on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. We wanted to treat our family and friends to a beach getaway! Rodanthe is approximately 27 miles southeast of Nags Head.
There are no hotels in the village; however, you can book accommodations in a number of rental homes. The home we chose is one you may recognize, as the exterior of the house was featured in the 2008 movie Nights in Rodanthe.
The large home accommodates up to 12 people and the cost was around $7,500 for a week in July. The accommodation costs also included necessary beach equipment such as chairs, coolers, a cart for carrying things to the beach and umbrellas. All these items were delivered to the house prior to our arrival.
Getting There
It is about 400 miles from Charlotte to Rodanthe, so expect the drive to take between six to eight hours depending on traffic. House rentals are booked from Saturday to Saturday, so we decided to leave on Friday to avoid the heavy traffic and stayed Friday night in a hotel on the way.
Other members of our group traveled by plane from Michigan. I highly recommend flying into Norfolk, VA. It’s just over an hour and a half to Rodanthe.
Check-in times for most rental properties are around 3 – 4 pm. If you arrive a little early, you can use the time to visit the local fish markets and grocery stores to stock up on your food and beverage supplies for the week. Rodanthe is a small, quaint village. Plan ahead by making any major food purchases you will need on your way into Rodanthe, as the closest large grocery stores are located at least 25 minutes in either direction.
We did cook most of our meals, which I had pre-planned prior to the trip. One evening we had a seafood boil with crab legs, local shrimp, lobster, clams, potatoes, corn and sausage. We placed paper on the table and threw everything on the paper. The house did not come with a grill, so we bought a small one and grilled out one evening. One of our guests brought his pizza oven, so we had pizza night with salad and pasta.
We did venture out one evening to Duck, NC (about a 45-minute drive from Rodanthe) to enjoy a beautiful meal at NC Coast Grill and Bar. I highly recommend this eatery and that you try the chef board!
Waves Market and Deli was our go-to in Rodanthe. It’s a cute market worth browsing for gifts, food, beer and other cute items.
Rodanthe is a tranquil spot, perfect for a relaxing getaway where you enjoy walking on the romantic, wind-swept beaches or sitting back and taking in breathtaking sunrises and sunsets.
Other Things to See and Do
Things to do in Rodanthe include bike rentals, walking the pier (one of the few remaining wooden fishing piers in NC), taking a trip to Hatteras to see the lighthouses or going fishing. Other local sites of interest include the Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station Museum, the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge and a visit to nearby Kitty Hawk where you can do a little hang gliding!
It did rain most of our trip; however, we still thoroughly enjoyed every single minute! We visited the beach most days, which was a short walk from our oceanfront house, complete with a pathway to the beach.
Most nights we played games (left, right, center was our favorite). We had a movie night which I planned in advance. I purchased a blow-up screen and projector so we could watch the Nights in Rodanthe movie in the parking lot. We also made sure we had all the munchies we needed on hand for movie night, including popcorn, candy and drinks.
If you are looking for a picturesque retreat to get away from the hustle and bustle of your daily routine, I highly recommend a trip to Rodanthe.
Melissa Latin is South Charlotte City Lifestyle's Social Media Coordinator, melissa@charlottefashionplate.com.
The home we chose is one you may recognize, as the exterior of the house was featured in the 2008 movie Nights in Rodanthe.